SEAMEN’S STRIKE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16503, 2 August 1919, Page 7

SEAMEN’S STRIKE.

WALSH DEFIANT. “GOOD-BYE” TO ARBITRATION. Before a- crowded audience a£ the Richmond Town Hall on July 21 the secretary of the Seamen’s Union (Mr. T. Walsh) repeated tho statement for which he was lined £IOO on tho previous Friday. The Alayor of Richmond (Councillor Barcelo) presided. Air. Walsh said that the fight by the seamen—the, revolt of tho “slave of the ship”—was going to be. a beacon light for the workers m guiding them to better conditions. The seamen had always gone to arbitration against their will and ivish. Between the seamen a:, the “robbing ship-owner” there could bo no arbitration. They were not going to be'camouflaged by promises made by Air. Justice Higgins or anyone else. (Applause.) “1 again repeat tho offence for which I was tried last Friday,” proceeded Mr. Walsh. “1 want no member of the .Seaman’s Union to offer his services until we win the strike. (Applause.) We will make no more overtures for settlement. We are standing now upon winning.” They were asking for 35s per month increase, while the High Court had laid it down that the Arbitration Court bad not power to grant a greater increase in wages than 4s 2d per week.

"\\ o aro not going into tho court in any circumstances whatever.” added Air. Walsh, in an emphatic manner. He said that he had almost begged the registrar of the court to grant the deregistration of the union, but the court would not do it. Tho union refused to adopt the subterfuge of approaching the court for a bonus.

After reference to Mr. Justice Higgins. Mr. Walsh said:—“'l have told people, engaged with Government activities that the question of arbitration is wiped off the slate so far as the seamen are concerned. I look upon the Court as- the most degrading institution in tin's country,” and he proceeded to explain that this related to the questions put to women as to the cost of their clothing. The .seamen had resolved to bring about that organisation which would enable the working classes to say good-bye lo the Arbitration Court.

The president of the union (Mr. P. i.e Coriiu) said that it had been stated that Mr. Walsh and himself wished to establish themselves as the Lenin and Trotsky of this country. If it was necessary to do this to win, they wore prepared to take those positions up. (Applause).

Mr. Considine, M.H.R., who also spoke, advocated 0.8. U. organisation to ‘‘overturn the present system of exploitation, and substitute a co-opera-tive Commonwealth.”

TREATMENT OF SEAMEN

STATEMENT BY SHIPOWNERS. The following statement as lo the wages and conditions under which seamen arc working at present has been issued by the Shipowners’ Association; "Wages now paid under the. award of the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration are £l2 os per month for seamen and trimmers; £l4 o a month for firemen and greasers; and £ls os per month for donkey men. Work for seamen is not casual and intermittent, but constant; seamen generally have no broken time. If they so desire they are employed year in and year out. Hours arc fixed by the Court at eight per day; all work done i.i excess is paid for at overtime rates, namely, 2s per hour. The amount actually paid for wages and overtime varies from £IBO to, in some cases, £2BO per annum. In addition to actual wages paid, seamen are provided with kec, which rcrcsents £39 9s er annum. Seamen arc also entitled under the award of the Court to 14 days’ leave of absence on full pay each year, in addition to which they have to be allowed a day off or given on extra day’s payment if certain holidays are spent wholly at sea. [Although the Navigation Act lias not been proclaimed, Australian shipowners have since 1913 been observing its provisions in relation to the number of men to be carried in the stokeholds of each vessel on the coast.] Commenting on the present demands of the seamen, the owners say an additional" 3os a month is asked for principally on the grounds that seamen on British and American steamers are now in receipt of more moneythan the Australian seamen. On British and American vessels seamen employed on deck have to work 12 hours per day at sea, whereas the Australian seamen work only eight. This gives the Australian seamen a much higher rate for time actually worked. Six hours’ day in port is asked for. Seamen’s hours in port are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., less two meal hours, representing eight working hours, which is the established custom for all industries throughout Australia. As to insurance against sickness and accident, seamen on interstate vessels are already covered by the Seamen’s Compensation Act, 1911, for accidents resulting in injury or death, and the provisions of tire same Act have boon voluntarily accepted by Australian shipowners as applying to vessels trading away from Australia, while in the case of interstate trading vessels the respective State Acts apply. In the case of influenza the seamen are taking no risks which are nob shared bv all members of "the community j but it should bo pointed out that the shipping companies pay the wages of men until they are returned to their home port.